Pelicans at Bucks
The New Orleans Pelicans continue their surge toward a playoff spot in the Western Conference when they hit the road against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday. The Pelicans certainly looked like a playoff contender while overcoming an 18-point deficit in a 95-89 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday, and Anthony Davis is having no trouble working his way back into form. The Bucks are aiming for a third straight home win.
Milwaukee stumbled its way to an 0-4 road trip despite playing only one playoff contender on the swing but gained back some momentum when it took advantage of stumbling Washington in its return home on Saturday. The Bucks are still trying to figure out the offense with Michael Carter-Williams running the show and are losers of six of their last eight games while going over 95 points once in that stretch. New Orleans has won seven of its last nine to keep the pressure on the Oklahoma City Thunder for the No. 8 spot in the West.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN New Orleans, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee)
ABOUT THE PELICANS (34-29): Davis is averaging 30.3 points, 12.3 rebounds and 5.3 blocks in three games since sitting out five straight and is getting plenty of help from Tyreke Evans, who keyed the comeback against Memphis on Saturday. Evans scored 15 of his 26 points after the break and is averaging 19.4 points in five games this month. “It just shows the growth and maturity to be able to win a game like that versus such a quality opponent,” New Orleans swingman Quincy Pondexter told reporters. “It’s really a testament to how hard we work and how much we care about each other defensively. We really want to win and make the playoffs.”
ABOUT THE BUCKS (33-29): Milwaukee is five games clear of the scrum for the seventh and eighth spots in the East but would like to move up and pulled within 1 1/2 games of the fifth-place Wizards with Saturday’s 91-85 triumph. Khris Middleton has been one of the more consistent offensive performers for the Bucks of late and went off for a career-high 30 points on Saturday. “It was a huge win for us,” Middleton told reporters. “It’s a step in the right direction. We needed this one here (against Washington). The crowd definitely helped us tonight also.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Pelicans need one win to exceed last season’s total.
2. Milwaukee G O.J. Mayo (hamstring) has missed three straight games and remains day-to-day.
3. New Orleans has taken three straight and six of the last seven in the series.